{
  "id": 13027129,
  "title": "KP CM failed to prove his claim about ECP jurisdiction, rules high court",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/kp-cm-failed-to-prove-his-claim-about-ecp-jurisdiction-rules-high",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T04:19:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2035742/kp-cm-failed-to-prove-his-claim-about-ecp-jurisdiction-rules-high-court"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Peshawar High Court has dismissed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi's claim that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) does not have jurisdiction to investigate alleged election misconduct. The bench, consisting of Justices Arshad Ali and Faheem Wali, rejected Afridi's petition challenging ECP's proceedings initiated for alleged violations of the election code of conduct during by-elections in Haripur in November 2025. The court noted that Afridi had failed to prove any lack of jurisdiction or legal infirmity warranting intervention.\n\nThe bench emphasized that ECP, as a constitutional body under Article 218(3) of the Constitution, has powers under Section 8(c) of the Elections Act, 2017 to ensure fair and just elections. They also noted that ECP is competent to regulate its own proceedings, even if it decides jurisdictional objections while addressing the main matter. The court ruled that Afridi's contention that ECP lost jurisdiction once a district monitoring officer (DMO) took cognizance under Section 234 of the Elections Act is unfounded. They explained that the DMO's proceedings and ECP's inquiry operate in separate legal domains.\n\nThe bench clarified that the initiation of proceedings by DMO under Chapter XV of the Elections Act does not diminish ECP's statutory and constitutional jurisdiction under Chapter X and Article 218(3) of the Constitution. They stressed that both proceedings arise from distinct statutory provisions with different legal objectives. Afridi and his running mate, Shehrnaz Omar Ayub, had challenged ECP's notices for alleged violations of the election code of conduct, particularly Afridi's provocative speech against government officials during the by-election in NA-18 Haripur. Both petitions were dismissed as no adverse orders had been passed against them. Afridi subsequently argued that ECP should first decide its jurisdiction before proceeding, but the court held that this argument was mistaken.",
  "summary": "PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court has ruled that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has failed to establish that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) lacks jurisdiction to inquire into (his) alleged election misconduct. A bench consisting of Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Mohammad Faheem Wali ruled: “The assertion that ECP lacks jurisdiction to inquire into the alleged misconduct…",
  "key_points": [
    "Peshawar High Court dismisses Sohail Afridi's claim on ECP jurisdiction.",
    "Court notes ECP's constitutional powers under Article 218(3) and Section 8(c) of Elections Act 2017.",
    "Afridi's contention that DMO's proceedings diminish ECP's jurisdiction is ruled unfounded."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The ruling cements the Election Commission of Pakistan's authority to investigate election misconduct, limiting the Chief Minister's ability to challenge its jurisdiction and ensuring fair and just elections.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}